


mess-egg-es from the heart

by hoeunki



Series: plum blossom and the orchid [8]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Chinese New Year, Established Relationship, Love Letters, M/M, Presents, Romantic Fluff, Some Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-05
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-10-22 13:24:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17663486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hoeunki/pseuds/hoeunki
Summary: lucas and renjun's first year anniversary is coming up, and lucas really wants to get something special for renjun. a simple grocery trip spirals into perhaps his most romantic endeavour yet.





	mess-egg-es from the heart

**Author's Note:**

> happy lunar new year everyone!! 恭喜发财！
> 
> and for those who aren't celebrating, think of this as a super early valentine's day present (there's definitely enough romance in this one to last awhile :P)

The idea came from a simple grocery trip to the supermarket.

Lucas had been trailing behind Kun and Ten as they pushed the shopping cart together (why they felt the need to have two people maneuvering it, he hadn't the faintest clue). Beside him, Xiaojun and Guanheng were discussing snacks to get for the others, but he wasn't really paying attention to the conversation. There were more pressing matters on his mind - namely, the first year anniversary of his relationship with a certain boy from Jilin.

He had previously gone to Chenle for advice but in hindsight, a boy who’d been dancing around his feelings for a young awkward teen for a good couple of years wasn't the best person to go to for romantic suggestions.

_“Buy him flowers? A video game? Maybe an accessory of some sort? Ooh, or one of those teddy bears that can record a message from you! Then you can say a bunch of cringey things for him to listen to when you're gone.”_

To be fair, that last suggestion wasn't too bad at all. But Lucas had already given Renjun a bunch of stuffed toys before. He'd won some in claw machine games, he'd bought some on impulse, and Renjun's bed was full of them.

Lucas wanted it to be special. He wanted to do something unexpected, something so heart-fluttering that Renjun would be guaranteed to swoon over it.

But instead of brainstorming in his dorm room, here he was in the dairy isle, watching as Kun seriously pondered over whether he should get the low-fat yogurt or the non-fat yogurt.

“They’re the same thing! They just label it differently to trick consumers.”

“I don’t think that’s how it works, Ten.”

Lucas tapped Xiaojun, who was inspecting the string cheese, to inform him that he was just going to walk around for a bit. Xiaojun gave him a thumbs up and off he went, strolling down past the condiments and the various sauces and baking goods.

Renjun had insisted that Lucas didn't need to get him anything. But unfortunately for him, Lucas was even more stubborn about getting him a present. He didn't really care about receiving present from Renjun (his love was more than enough), but it was inherent in Lucas’ nature to give, to want the best for the people he loved dearly.

Lucas was deep in his contemplation zone when he passed by shelves stocked with familiar plastic containers with red lids. He paused, looking up at the snacks that lined the wall. Pineapple tarts, almond cookies, assortments of sunflower and pumpkin seeds, all sorts of things were on display, tempting Lucas to buy them. They didn’t have his favorite sesame balls, but it was okay. He could probably convince Kun to make some for him.

He was about to head back to the rest of the guys when he spotted a stack of golden tins on a table. They were relatively unassuming but Lucas drew nearer to them, curious about the contents inside. When he peered down at the packaging and the item tag and realised exactly what they were, a smile spread slowly across his lips. Chenle’s words rung in his head, and he immediately thought of the perfect idea for Renjun’s present.

Lucas picked a tin up and tucked it under his arm, grinning like an excited schoolboy as he made his way to the cashier.

Renjun was going to love it.

  


Renjun’s room was his safe haven. His sanctuary, free from the voices of the obnoxious outside world. It was where he sung and danced alone on happy days. It was where he curled up and shut everyone out on days where he didn’t want to deal with anyone. Nobody was allowed inside without his permission, save for a select special few (namely Kun, Taeyong, Sicheng, and Lucas).

So when he came back after a long day out with Jisung and Chenle and found his door slightly ajar, Renjun frowned. Something was definitely wrong. He always made sure to close his door before he left the dorm. He distinctly recalled bumping into Jaemin on his way out and that’s why he was sure he had shut it.

Renjun pushed the door open and switched on the lights, scanning the room for any signs of moved or misplaced items. His gaze fell upon a plain golden tin, wrapped with a red silk ribbon. It sat on his bed next to the unicorn that Lucas won for him at one of their carnival dates last year.

It was familiar. The usual packaging was gone and any sign of the food product inside had been removed, but Renjun already knew what was inside. He ate them every Chinese New Year, after all. As he approached, he noticed the tiny card perched on the unicorn’s lap. Lucas’ large, slanted handwriting was scrawled on the front.

_“For the light of my life, Huang Renjun.”_

Renjun bit back a smile. Cheesy boy. Lucas always thought that he was some sort of casanova, some suave gentleman. But he was just a bumbling dork. An adorable, loving, bumbling dork.

He pried open the lid slowly with his fingernails and it popped off with surprising ease— usually he’d have to exert force on it to get it open. When he looked inside at the recognisable egg rolls, Renjun realised that the tin had been opened already. Instead of neat rows, there was one roll placed at the top, as if inviting him to take it first. So he did.

As Renjun held the delicate snack between his index finger and his thumb, he caught a flash of white peeking out from the bottom end.

“What…?” he muttered to himself, breaking the roll in half. A piece of paper fluttered to the ground, and Renjun caught it in his palm as it unfurled itself.

He pulled his computer chair towards him and sat down, reading through the note.

_Once upon a time, love used to be forbidden between certain people. There were unfortunate circumstances that made it difficult for them to love freely and openly. These poor lovers could not always meet face to face and so they came up with a solution to relay their words of affection and reassurance: love letters. If you ate the love letter, not only were you getting rid of the evidence, but it also served as a sign that you were taking your lover’s words to heart. Romantic, right?_

_I know you’re not big on flashy gestures and loud declarations so I did this for you. Our one year anniversary isn’t until a few weeks but it just seemed like the right time. I love you, Renjun. I really, really do._

_From your big baby,_

_Huang Xuxi._

_(P.S. You’re only allowed to eat a maximum of three a day because I don’t want you to rush through the whole thing :P)_

Renjun placed the paper next to him and put the egg roll into his mouth, reaching for another one without hesitation. They dissolved so quickly on his tongue and the sweet, eggy flavor was so addicting. Lucas knew him so well.

He fished the next paper out without breaking the ‘love letter’ and began to read once more.

_I remember that one night we stayed up watching ‘Our Times’ until it was 2 in the morning and neither of us wanted to go to sleep so we snuck out of the dorm and ate convenience store ramen and ddeokbokki in an empty parking lot. That was one of the best nights of my life._

Renjun chewed thoughtfully. That happened maybe two years ago, for sure. He remembered being so engrossed in the romance film, then tiptoeing through the dorm, and he definitely recalled burning his tongue on the ramen because he was too impatient. Something was different in the air that night. Maybe that was when Renjun started falling for him. But he couldn’t be sure - he was always falling in love with Lucas, over and over again.

Not wanting to go against his boyfriend’s wishes, Renjun took one more love letter before closing the tin. This note was a little crumpled on one side; perhaps it didn’t fit the first time Lucas tried to put it in.

_I realised that I don’t know in what order you’re going to pick these up, but whatever. I just wanted to say thank you for always supporting me, regardless if we’re in the same country or not. Last year was kind of a big year for me and you held my hand every step of the way (I mean I think Kun-ge literally did, but you get what I’m saying). I hope 2019 will be even greater for the both of us._

Renjun smoothed it carefully and dropped the three slips of paper on top of his side table alongside the tin. He thought about going to Lucas right now and jumping into his arms, but he decided to wait until tomorrow. He’d surprise him with some breakfast.

 

As he rolled out egg tart dough at 5:30 in the morning, Renjun bit into another love letter.

_My dear, from the day I fell in love with you_

_Being sweet has been so easy_

_My dear, stop playing around; your eyes_

_Are saying I do._

“Love Confession lyrics?” Renjun shook his head fondly. “He’s so extra.”

By the time Kun came into the kitchen at 6:45, the egg tarts were in the fridge and Renjun was transferring the brisket noodles into separate bowls. Kun sniffed the air and sighed contentedly.

“Why are you up so early?” he asked.

Renjun shrugged as he chopped some spring onions for the garnish. “I’m doing something for Xuxi.” he gestured to the love letter tin and Kun picked it up.

“Ahh, these are the things he made us help out with. There are about two missing because Yangyang got hungry,” Kun laughed.

As Renjun washed his hands, he thought of Lucas sitting on the floor of his room with Kun and Yangyang, meticulously writing and rolling the paper thin enough to fit inside the snack. It must’ve taken them a whole afternoon. Knowing this touched Renjun deeply.

“Kun-ge, could you help me finish the har gow? I’m gonna wake Xuxi up.”

He snuck another egg roll into his mouth before slipping out of the kitchen.

_I want to watch more sunsets with you. I want to slow dance under the stars and sing lullabies together until our hair turns grey._

Renjun tucked the note into his pocket and opened the door to Lucas and Kun’s room. To his surprise, Lucas was already awake and standing by the window. He turned at the squeak of the hinge and Renjun watched as his handsome features lit up, lips curling in a boyish grin.

No words needed to be exchanged. Renjun stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Lucas’ neck at the same time as Lucas placed his hands on Renjun's waist and lifted him off the ground for a short kiss.

“I'm assuming you like your gift?” Lucas grinned.

Renjun fished a piece of paper out of his pocket. He had succumbed to temptation as he was cooking earlier and shook a few notes out of the biscuits. Lucas said he wasn't allowed to eat the egg rolls, but he never said he couldn't extract the notes.

 _“我对你的爱海枯石烂不改变._ _一百個心都裝唔晒我對你嘅愛._ What does the last part mean?”

“It's a Cantonese saying,” Lucas explained. “A hundred hearts would be too few to carry all my love for you.”

Renjun snorted, but his heart fluttered all the same. “Disgusting. But I must admit, I'm impressed you even knew the _hǎikūshílàn_ idiom.”

Lucas grinned cheekily and bent down on one knee. “Even if the seas run dry and the rocks crumble into nothingness,” Renjun yelped as his boyfriend suddenly tackled him onto the bed, springs creaking underneath as they bounced on top of the mattress. Renjun gasped, slightly out of breath, but Lucas merely smiled and cupped his face before kissing him deeply.

Renjun parted his mouth, letting Lucas’ tongue in. It was a little gross, very warm, and when he pulled back, a thin string of saliva stretched between their lips and stuck itself onto his chin. Lucas laughed and wiped it with his thumb.

Renjun stared up at his handsome face, softening at the look of pure adoration that he knew mirrored his own eyes.

“I’ll love you until the end of time,” Renjun finished, cheeks warm.

The sound of gushing water and pots going into the sink reminded Renjun that he still had a surprise in store. He silently thanked Kun for being such an amazing person and wriggled out from under Lucas, leading him by the hand into the dining area.

Lucas inhaled, and his eyes went wide as he saw the feast laid out on the table. Kun greeted them both with a fond twinkle in his eye as he washed the dishes.

“Is this… for me?”

“No, it’s for Chenle,” Kun deadpanned. “And by the way, I just helped with the har gow. Renjun did everything else by himself.”

Lucas turned to Renjun and the smaller boy took a step back, surprised to see tears brimming in his eyes already.

“Don’t cry, Xuxi! I still have egg tarts for you in the fridge.” At the mention of the holy pastry, Lucas choked back a sob. Renjun reached up and stroked his hair gently, as if calming a little puppy.

“You’re such a crybaby,” Renjun whispered, kissing his cheek.

Some would find it odd, that Lucas would get emotional over such a simple act of having your boyfriend cook your favorite foods in the morning. But Renjun knew in his heart, and he was reminded when he read some of Lucas’ messages for him, that everyone had a different way of showing their love for someone. Renjun wasn’t good with words like Johnny, nor was he touchy like Jaemin or talented at flirting like Donghyuck. He hated acting cute and he never knew what kinds of presents to give Lucas. But in the end it was the small things, the little ways in which Renjun treated Lucas differently, that spoke volumes about the infatuation he had for that silly, silly boy.

_I love when you let me lie in your lap and brush my hair. I love when you subconsciously reach for my hand when I walk too far from you. I love catching you glancing at me in the practice room mirror because I know it means that you’re constantly checking up on me. Or checking me out, that works too ;)_

Renjun pulled out a chair for Lucas to sit and went to fetch some utensils for him. As he passed Kun he heard the older boy whisper, “I’ll leave you two alone for now.” Renjun gave him a grateful smile before he retreated to his bedroom.

He came back to Lucas staring at him with a dopey smile on his face. He had his chin propped up on his palm and looked, for lack of a better word, utterly whipped. Renjun felt a blush creeping up his neck; he never knew how to react when he did things like this.

Renjun observed as Lucas took the chopsticks and began to devour the noodles. He picked up a bit of Kun’s har gow and placed it into his mouth, marvelling at the flavor.

“This is amazing!” he exclaimed, mouth full of half chewed shrimp. Renjun shook his head at the sight, but reached for one anyway. He sat down across Lucas and lifted his feet up so that he was more comfortable.

Mornings in the dorm were usually noisy, so Renjun was grateful for moments like these. Moments were he and Lucas could just bask in the silence, enjoying each other's presence. There was something strangely intimate about slurping brisket noodles with your feet propped up on your boyfriend's thighs under the table.

When Lucas was done (he was a fast eater), he reached for the golden tin and peeked inside, laughing when he saw the multiple empty rolls.

“You're so impatient, baobei.” He squeezed Renjun's ankles gently. “But that's okay.”

Renjun shrugged shamelessly, grabbing an empty love letter to eat. “Whoops.”

Lucas took one for himself and crunched down on it, carefully extracting the piece of paper to give to Renjun.

_I don’t know if you realise this, but every little thing you do makes my heart beat a tiny bit faster. It’s like I can’t stop smiling whenever you’re around me._

Lucas was always the more forward of the two and his words were always so sincere, so genuine. Renjun smiled to himself and folded it, placing it beside his empty bowl.

“What's up?” Lucas asked, craning his neck curiously. “Which one is that?”

Renjun got up, walking around the table to plop himself down on Lucas’ lap. Surprise flitted across the taller boy's face, but it was quickly replaced with a smug expression. Renjun shushed him with a finger to his lips before replacing his hand with his mouth. He felt the corners of Lucas’ mouth rising as he smiled into the kiss.

_Aside from being beautiful, what else do you do for a living?_

“I love you,” Renjun exhaled breathily, warmth spreading across his cheeks as Lucas leaned back in to capture his lips again.

If someone told Renjun last year that in a mere 12 months time he'd be hopelessly in love with Lucas Wong, he probably would've scoffed and rolled his eyes. Not because they were so different, but because Renjun didn't know if his heart would be able to handle it. Perhaps it was still catching up, but Renjun knew that with time he'd eventually learn how to calm the flutter in the pit of his stomach that constantly seemed to appear whenever Lucas was involved.

And sitting on Lucas’ thighs at eight in the morning, fingers digging into his hips as they wordlessly kissed and kissed, made Renjun realise that he honestly wouldn't have it any other way.

 

 

“Oh sweet! Egg tarts!”

Renjun's eyes went wide and he turned around.

“LIU YANGYANG DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH THOSE!”

**Author's Note:**

> fun fact: [love letters](https://media.karousell.com/media/photos/products/2016/12/17/love_letter__for_cny_1481906137_6a2ab58c.jpg) are my all time favourite cny snack 
> 
> [har gow](https://chinasichuanfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/har-gow-steps-35-copy.jpg)
> 
> 我对你的爱海枯石烂不改变 (wǒ duì nǐ de ài hǎikūshílàn bù gǎibiàn) - my love for you is unchanging.
> 
> 海枯石烂 (haikushilan) - an idiom that means literally refers to if the seas should run dry and the rocks crumble. Figuratively it means something along the lines of forever, or until the end of time. 
> 
> 一百個心都裝唔晒我對你嘅愛 (jat baak go sam dou zong m saai ngo deoi nei ge oi) - a hundred hearts would be too few to carry all my love for you. It’s in cantonese so i’m not very sure on the pronunciation heh
> 
> scream at me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/takadactyl)


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